Belfast's Sinn Fein Mayor lays a wreath to First World War dead

The Sinn Fein Lord Mayor of Belfast took a giant step on behalf of Irish republicanism yesterday by laying a wreath at the City Hall Cenotaph to commemorate the dead of the First World War.

Alex Maskey, Belfast's first Sinn Fein Mayor, laid the laurel wreath in a short ceremony ahead of the more elaborate official commemoration later in the day.

His decision is seen as an act of huge symbolic importance. Commemorations of the First World War dead, in particular the thousands of Belfast Protestants who fell at the Battle of the Somme, have tended to be monopolised by Unionists, who claimed it as part of their political heritage.

Although many thousands of Catholics also died in that war, republicans have traditionally recoiled from honouring those who served in British Army, which they have viewed as an occupying force. Mr Maskey's action is seen as breaking important new ground not only for his year as Mayor but in the general disposition of republicanism in recognising and respecting other traditions.

On a personal level, it was a huge step by a man who recently said he believed the Army had tried on several occasions to have him killed.

He was accompanied yesterday by other republicans, who observed a minute's silence after laying the wreath. After the ceremony he said: "This is a major step for republicans and nationalists on this island. I hope that this initiative will be seen at face value and as a positive gesture.

"It is in recognition of the sorrow, hurt and suffering left behind for their relatives, friends and comrades. My objective, beyond this, is to seek to identify common ground for all of us in this generation."

Although there have been some murmurs of discontent from the republican grass roots, most republicans appear to approve of the move.

John Reid, the Northern Ireland Secretary, welcomed the gesture as "a sign of encouragement and hope for the future". But it was ridiculed by the outspoken Paisleyite councillor Sammy Wilson, who described it as "a monumental insult" to the people of Belfast "dressed up in all the verbiage Sinn Fein have become so good at".

While Mr Maskey has appealed to Unionists to work with him, only a few have responded. His installation dinner on Saturday was attended by several Protestant ministers of religion, but no important Unionist political figures.

Continuing trouble on the streets of Belfast and elsewhere prompted appeals for calm yesterday from both the Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble, and the Sinn Fein president, Gerry Adams.